Quick-action jack



A. W. MARR.

QUICK ACTION JACK.

APPLICATION FILED. A116. 19. 1919.

1,350,663, Patented Aug. 24,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 2 W I H Fig! Fig. 2

June/atom Gamma,

A. W. MARR.

QUICK ACTION JACK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-1,9, m9.

1 3 50,- 66 3 Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- witness- ALEXANDER W. MARR, OF CANTON, OHIO.

QUICK-ACTION JACK.

Application filed August 19, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ALEXANDER W. MARK, acitizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Starkand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inQuick-Action Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in quick-actionjacks.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide forautomobile use, a jack that may be readily and conveniently positionedunder the car and almost instantaneously raised to the load without thenecessity of bending or stooping under the machine. By means of anoperating rod adapted to receive a crank on one end, the jack may beprojected under an axle, and the screw sprung up to it by simply manipulating a cam.

Another object of the invention is to produce a jack that may be madeout of sheet steel by punch press operations, thereby reducing its costof construction to the minimum.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in thefollowing specification, and particularly set forth in the subjoinedclaims.

The preferred form of embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a side elevational view,partly in section, of my improved ack. Fig. 2 1s a side elevatlonal viewof the operatmg means-for the ack.

'Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line aa of Fig. 1, showing the camoperating means and the nuts adapted to be forced thereby intoengagement with the screw. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cam and nuthousing. Fig. 5 is an end elevational viewof one of the screw engagingnuts or lugs. Fig. 6

' is a side elevational view of the same. And

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the support for the cam and nut housing,showing the guiding means for the nuts.

Throughout the specification and drawings similar reference charactersdenote corresponding parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates thebase and 2 the receiving socket. mounted thereon, for a tubular standard3. In one side this standard contains a vertical slot 4 that acts as aguide for horizontal screw 5 carried by the vertical jack screw '6that'has the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 Serial No. 318,541.

usual up and down movement in said standard. On top of the screw 6 ismounted the usual load receiving head 7.

In its lower end the jack screw 6 contains a hole 8 of larger diameterthan a hole 9 above, and with which it communicates, the upper holeextending well up into the screw. In the lower hole 8 there is placed acoil spring 10 that surrounds a guide rod 11 that projects into theupper hole 8, and is of such a length as to permit the screw to beforcedto its lowermost position within the standard and to guide itduring its up and down movement within the latter. The spring 10 pressesagainst the shoulder formed at the meeting point of the upper and lowerholes in the screw 6, quiclrl to force the screw up to the load whensaid screw is released by the mechanism hereinafter to be described.

Suitably secured to the upper .end of the tubular standard 3 is a sleeve12 that terminates at its upper end in an outwardly flaring ball racemember 13 containing in an annular channel near its outer end a seriesof balls 14. Resting upon the balls 14 is a beveled ratchet gear 15preferably constructed in four laminations in order that it may be madeby the punch press.

The ratchet gear 15 is provided at its middle peripheral portion withannular grooves 16 into which project retaining keys 17 fitted in thestandard 3. The function of these grooves and keys is to prevent theballs from falling out when the jack is turned up side down, and to holdthe ratchet gear firmly on said bearings at all times withoutinterfering with its free turning movement.

Firmly secured to one side of the upper end of the standard 3 is abracket bearing 18 for a horizontal shaft 19 having a reduced inner endthat is loosely received by a hole in the sleeve 12. Beyond the bracketbear ing 18 the shaft 19 has an enlarged cylindrical collar portion 20for a purpose to be hereinafter described. At its outer end the shaft 19terminates in a ball 21 containing a transverse hole that tightlyreceives a short crank 22. On the inner end of the shaft 19 there isfast a bevel gear 23 which meshes with the beveled ratchet gear 15..Like the latter, the gear 23 is preferably COllSlIlllCtQkl of fourlaminations so that it may be made by the punch press.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the screw 6.

the screw 6 when the crank 22 is turned, and to permit said screw to beinstantaneously sprung to the load independent of the gearing described,the following mechanism is provided.

Referring to Fig. 7 there are preferably mounted on the fi a top of thelaminated gear 15, three lugs 24 circumferentially disposed thereon nearthe outer marginal edge thereof. Each of these lugs contains atransverse screw-threaded hole adapted to be brought into registry witha similar crewthreaded hole provided in the peripheral wall of aninverted-cup shaped housing 25 that rests on the top of the gear 15,with the lugs 2a on the inside. When the threaded holes in the lugs 24;have been brought into registry with the threaded holes in theperipheral wall of the housing 25, screws 26 are inserted in said holesfirmly to secure said housing on the gear 15. (See Figs. 1 and 7.)

Also mounted on the flat top of the gear 15, are three radial guidingpieces 27, although a greater or a less number may be provided ifdesired. Each one of these guiding pieces 27 is adapted to fit looselyinto a groove 28 in the bottom of a bracketthreaded member 29hereinafter to be referred to as nut Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, each ofthese nuts 29 comprises an elongated steel block having a convex backportion whose periphery conforms to that of the peripheral wall of thehousing 25, while its inner face is concaved and bracket-- threaded toengage the bracket threads on At its middle back portion, each nut 29contains a recess 30 that extends well into it, and through which ascrew pin 31 loosely passes from a vertical hole in the topportion ofthe nut into a threaded hole in the nut below the recess 30 therein, fora purpose soon to be described.

Each of the nuts 29 has a movement into and out of engagement with thejack screw 6, along the top surface of the gear 15, being guided in suchmovement by a respective radial piece 27 that fits in the groove 23 inthe bottom of the nut. These nuts are moved into engagement with thescrew 6 by the following mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is contained within the housing 25 an annularcam 32 that is adapted to project into the recesses 30 in the nuts 29,The curvature of the outer rim of the cam 32 conforms to that of thewall of the housing, whereby it may be turned freely therein. The insidemarginal edge of the cam has the contour shown in Fig. 3, being formedto provide three hookshaped portions 33 and a like number ofv neutralrecessed portions 3 f, each of the latter being approximately midwaybetween two hook-shaped portions. From each hookshaped portion 33 to thefirst recessed portion 34 to the left, the cam increases in width, toprovide an inwardly converging cam surface that is adapted to engage thepin 31 in each nut 29 and cam the later into engagement with the jackscrew 6. These nuts are guided toward the screw 6 by the guiding pieces27 on the top of the gear 15, and by the screws 31 that loosely projectinto elongated radial slots 36 in'the top of the housing 25. The nutsare thus firmly braced in their vertical position at the top and at thebottom, and when cammed into engagement with the screw 6, they will befirmly held in engagement therewith by the neutral part of the cam witha margin of safety. Pressure is at all times exerted on the center ofthe nut, by the cam which in turn bears against the wall of the housingin a radial direction when said nut is in engagement with the screw.tightly gripped by the nuts, there is no danger of it slipping whenlifting a great load.

The cam 32 is turned within the housing 25 by a finger piece 37 whosereduced inner end projects through a circumferential slot in the wall ofthe housing to the underside of the cam, to which it is firmly securedby a screw 38. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

When it is desired to spring the screw 6 instantaneously to the load,the cam 32 is turned counter clockwise by the finger piece 37. When thecam starts to move, the pressure of the spring 10 is sufficient to snapthe screw 6 upwardly, the angle of the bracket threads on the latterforcing the nuts 29 rearwardly out of the way. The nuts are permittedthis rearward movement by the now outwardly converging cam surfacesbetween the neutral and hook-shaped portions of the cam as the latter ismoved counter clockwise. The nuts 29 may be firmly held in theirout-of-the-way position by moving the cam 32 far enough to the left topermit the hook-shaped portions 33 thereof to firmly grip the pins 31 inthe nuts as shown by the heavy lines in Fig. 3 the dotted lines showingthe nuts engaged with the screw.

Now, when it is desired to move the nuts 29 into engagement with thejack screw, whereby the latter may be raised when the crank 22 isturned, the cam 32 is moved to the right. The cam surfaces to the leftof thehook-shaped portions 33 will now bear against the pins 31 in thenuts 29, to move the latter inwardly into engagement with the threads ofthe jack screw 6 until the said pins are in their neutral positions onthe cam surface. The cam now bears directly on the central portions ofthe nuts so that they cannot come out of mesh with the screw when thepressure is on the latter. By turning the crank 22, the screw may now beraised, since the nuts are carried around by the-gear 15 and. the screw6is restrained The latter being thus portions of the crank 22 from acircular movement by the screw bearing against the walls of the slot 4in the standard 3. Accordingly, when the nuts 29 are rotated about thescrew 6, the latter will be raised until it has reached its extremeupper position or the load has been elevated to a desired height belowthat position. By turning the crank 22 in the opposite direction, theload may be lowered to the point where the screw is relieved of itsweight, whereupon the cam may be turned to the left to permit the screwto be quickly pressed to its normal position within the standard, afterwhich the nuts may be pressed into engagement with said screw to hold itthere until the jack is again used.

For the purpose of placing the jack under an automobile without stoopingunder the latter, the following device is, provided. Referring to Figs.1 and 2, the numeral 39 designates an elongated operated rod on one endof which is an enlarged cylindrical socket portion 40 having twooppositely disposed recesses 41 adapted to receive those on each side ofthe ball 21. The ball 21 being loosely received within the socket 40,and the crank within the recesses 41 therein,the shaft 19 may be turnedat a distance from the jack by r0- tating the rod 39. from any angle, byan suitable crank 42 applied to its outer encli A ball and socket jointconnection is thus formed between the inner end of rod 39 and the outerend of the shaft 19 to permit the latter to be turned to raise the jack,by one assuming a standing position near the car.

It is not necessary for a person to insert the jack under an axle bygripping the standard with the hand, since the socket 40,

by being thrust over the cylindrical collar portion of the shaft 19 asshown in Fig. 1, will permit the jack to be projected under the load bythe rod 39. After it has been placed in such a position, the socket ispulled outwardly a sufficient distanceto clear the collar 20, whereby aball and socket oint is formed that permits the shaft 19 to be turnedwhile the operator remains in a standing position.

On its outer end the rod 39 is provided with a transverse pin 43 whichis adapted to enter a hole 44 in the finger piece 37, whereby the lattermay be moved to release the quick-action mechanism by one assuming astanding position near the car. The pin 43 also forms a drivingconnection between the outer end of the rod 39 and the crank 42, wherebywhen the latter is turned, the rod will be rotated to turn the crank 22and through it raise or lower the screw. The dotted lines in Fig. 1 showthe pin 43 within the hole 44 in the finger piece 37.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. In a device of the typedescribed, the combination with a tubular. standard, of a swiftly toelevate said screw when the threaded means are out of engagementtherewith.

2. In a device of the type described, the

combination with a tubular standard, of a screw vertically movabletherein, threaded members horizontally movable into and out ofengagement with said screw for the purpose specified, and resilientmeans within the standard swiftly to elevate said screw when thethreaded members are out of engagement therewith.

2,. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, threaded membersmovable into and out of engage ment with said screw for the purposespecified, resilient means within the standard swiftly to elevate saidscrew when the threaded members are out of engagement therewith, and cammeans for forcing said threaded members into engagement with said screw.7

4. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a rotatable membersurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, and threaded elementsmounted on the rotatable member,'frcely movable ever the latter into andout of en- 'gagement with said screw.

5. In a device of the type described, the

combination with a tubular standard, of a screw vertically movabletherein, a rotatable member surrounding said standard, and supportedthereby, said rotatable member having a relatively flat top surface, andthreaded elements mounted on said flat top surface of the rotatablemember, for a turning movement therewith, and horizontally movable uponsaid surface into and out of engagement with said screw.

6. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a rotatable membersurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, threaded elementscarried by said rotatable member, for a turning movement therewith andhorizontally movable into and out of engagement with said screw, and acam on said rotatable member adapted to be turned to move the threadedelements into engagement with said screw.

7. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a rotatable membersurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, threaded elementscarried by said rotatable member, for a turn ing movement therewith andhorizontally movable on its top surface into and out of engagement withsaid screw, a housing for.

' and cam means within said housing, adapted to force said blocks intoengagement with said screw.

9. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a rotatable membersurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, vertical blocks havingthreaded front faces, carried by said rotatable member for a turningmovement therewith and horizontally movable along its top surface intoand out of engagement with said screw, a housing for said blocks, and

an annular cam in said housing, passing;

through recesses in the rear portions of said blocks, for forcing thelatter .into engagement with said screw.

10. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a rotatable membersurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, vertical blocks havingthreaded front faces, carried by said rotatable member for a turningmovement there'- with and horizontally movable along its top surfaceinto and out of engagement with said screw, a housing for said blocks oni said rotatable member, each block having a transverse recess in itsback portion, a vertical pin in each block passing through said recess,and an annular cam in said housing adapted to engage the pins in saidblocks, to move the latter into engagement with said 11. In a device ofthe type described, the combination with a tubular, standard, of a screwvertically movable therein, a rotatable member surrounding saidstandard, and supported thereby, said rotatable member havinga'relatively fiat top surface, ra-

dial guides on said top surface, vertical blocks having threaded frontfaces, carried bysaid ,rotatable 'membei, and having groovesin theirbottom portions adapted to fit'over said guides for a horizontalmovement'into and out ofengagement with said screw, a'ho'usin'g forsaidblocks on theero tatable member, radial slots in the top of saidhousing, and screws projecting from the tops of said blocks into saidradial slots, to cooperate with the guiding pieces on the top of therotatable member, in guiding said blocks into and out of engagement withsaid screw.

'12. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a rotatable membersurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, vertical blocks havingthreaded front faces,.carried by said rotatable member for a turningmovement therewith and horizontally movable along its top surface intoand out of engagement with said screw, each block having a transverserecess in its back portion, a vertical pin in each block passing throughsaid recess, an annular cam adapted to enter the recesses in saidblocks, hook shaped portions formed on the inner circumference of saidcam, adapted to receive said pins to hold the blocks out of engagementwith the screw, and neutral portions on the inner circumference of saidcam adapted to engage said pins to hold the blocks in engage ment withsaid screw, the circumference of the cam curving inwardly from eachhookshaped portion to the first neutral portion to the left, graduallyto bear against the pins in the blocks for: the purpose of forcing theminto engagement with said screw.

13. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a laminated crown gearsurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, means'carried by saidcrown gear, adapted to move said screw, a transverse shaft supported bysaid standard, a laminated bevel gear on the innerend of said shaft, inmesh with said crown gear, and means for turning said shaft to raise orlower said screw.

14. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, means for raising andlowering said screw, a transverseshaft supported by said standard for'op eratmg sa d screw raising and lowering means, an operating rod, asocket on said operating rod, and a collar and a ball on the outer endof said shaft adapted to be received by the socket on said operatingrod, whereby the latter may be usedv to insert the standard under aloat.

15. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, means for raising andlowering said screw, a trans-v versezshaft supported by said standardfor operating said screw raising and lowering means, a crank on theouterend of said shaft, a ball'terminal for said shaft, an operating rod, anda socket'on one end of said rod, having two oppositely disposed recessesadapted to receive said crank as the ball terminal of the shaft isinserted in the socket, said socket and ball forming a ball and socketjoint to permit the shaft to be turned by the rod at an angle.

16. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, a rotatable membersurrounding said standard, and supported thereby, threaded membersfreely movable over the top of said rotatable mem her into and out ofengagement with said screw, and cam means for moving said threadedmembers over the top surface of said rotatable member into engagementwith said screw.

17. In a device of the type described, the combination with a tubularstandard, of a screw vertically movable therein, threaded means movableinto and out of engagement with said screw to raise or lower it, anannular cam for forcing the threaded means into engagement with saidscrew, a finger piece for turning said cam, a flat portion on the outerend of said finger piece containing a hole, an operating rod, and atransverse pin on the outer end of said rod, adapted to enter the holein said finger piece, whereby one may turn the cam from a standingposition near the load under which the standard is inserted.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day ofAugust, 1919.

ALEXANDER XV. MARE. Witness:

HOWARD S. SMITH.

